


Traditional Ferelden Massages

by Cartadwarfwithaheartofgold (manka)



Series: 2020 Charity Fundraiser One-Shots for RAINN [13]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Comfort, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Light Angst, Massage, Modern Character in Thedas, Nudity, Romantic Fluff, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:34:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26656696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manka/pseuds/Cartadwarfwithaheartofgold
Summary: When Val struggles with the weight of the Inquisition, Anna is there to offer love, support, and traditional Ferelden Massages.
Relationships: Female Hawke/Female Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Female Hawke/Original Female Character(s)
Series: 2020 Charity Fundraiser One-Shots for RAINN [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1913077
Comments: 6
Kudos: 8





	Traditional Ferelden Massages

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jennserr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennserr/gifts).



> This is part of my Charity Fundraiser! All of the proceeds go to RAINN.org to help survivors of sexual violence. Thank you to Jen for donating and letting me play with your Val and Anna! It was an honor to be trusted with the babies you have poured so much of your heart into! <3 You're awesome!

There was a lump buried under the covers of the Inquisitor’s giant, four poster bed. A suspiciously Val shaped lump that did not move while Anna crossed the room from the steps. 

“Val?” Anna called quietly. 

“No.” Val’s muffled response let Anna know her lover’s head was buried in the mattress and pillows. “If they’re looking for me, tell them I’ve died.” 

“What if _I’m_ the one looking for you?” Anna settled herself on the edge of the bed, reaching out to stroke what she assumed was Val’s spine, but honestly the way the other woman was huddled in a ball who knew if she was soothingly rubbing an elbow. 

“Not sure that’s _better_.” Val mumbled. “Last time _you_ wondered up here looking for my ass, it was to tell me about the _dragons_ you wanted to go fight.” 

Anna felt zero regrets about that whole adventure. That Ferelden Frostback had been _glorious_. 

“No dragons involved this time.” Anna reached for the quilt, tugging it down until she revealed Val’s wild curls and rich brown skin. Val turned her head and speared Anna with a gaze torn between fond and unbearably exhausted. 

“I never thought I’d see the day where you were _promising_ me dragons wouldn’t be involved.” 

“And of course it’s the one time you want dragons to be involved, isn’t it?” Anna sighed. 

Val’s smile seemed brittle around the edges, but she simply shook her head. “Only if you swear I’ll never have to go to another meeting again.” 

Anna dropped a kiss on Val’s temple, whispering against the skin there. “I’ve got a plan. You and I tie all our bed sheets together to make a rope, then we’ll shimmy off the mountain, steal a donkey, take off for the coast, jump on a ship, and head straight to Rivain.” 

Val’s tired smile didn’t fade, but she closed her eyes while Anna spoke, moving her head into the gentle touch of Anna’s fingers. “That seems like a lot of work and I’m exhausted. Can I take a rain check on the daring escape attempts?” 

Anna made a small hum in her throat as she considered Val. Then she nodded to herself, jumping off the bed. “I know what you need.” 

“A drink?” Val called after her. 

Anna laughed, making a beeline to the little dressing table. “Get out from under those blankets and get naked.” 

“You used to seduce me.” Val huffed. “Now you just boss me around.” 

Still, Anna heard the mattress shifting behind her. The rustle of fabric. She shook her head with a smirk, taking in the scented oils in their neat little bottles on the table. She plucked one off the surface, shook it, before plopping the little cork off and sniffing it experimentally. 

Lavender and crystal grace, it would do nicely. 

She spun on her heel, taking in the glorious figure on the bed. Val’s dark skin shimmered in the late afternoon light streaming through the windows. Her dark eyes fixed on her with a sort of intensity that always made Anna’s stomach clench in delight. It was moments when Val looked like _that_ where Anna could admit the nickname ‘Scary’ wasn’t far off the mark. 

Luckily, Anna enjoyed the element of danger in most situations. 

She held up the little bottle in one hand and twirled the finger on her other. “Lay down. Time for a good, old fashioned, Ferelden massage.” 

The tension began to seep out of Val’s shoulders immediately. She flopped back down on the bed face down, curls smashed beneath her forehead. “Thank fuck.” 

Anna tsked, joining Val on the bed. She poured far too much of the oil into her palm in her rush and it dribbled down her wrist, staining her sleeve. With a sigh, Anna concentrated on the mana in her blood, calling just the slightest whiff of flame to her fingertips. For some reason, this always seemed harder than summoning an inferno fit to light the room up. Sweat broke on her forehead while she called the fire to her fingertips. It wasn’t even enough to see, but it was enough to warm the slick mess coating her hands. She tossed the mostly empty bottle to the side and dribbled the warm oil over Val’s back. 

The tiny moan dripping from Val’s lips out did nothing for Anna’s self control at all. In fact, all Anna could think about was the quickest way to move this along to a mutually satisfying conclusion. 

Then she brushed her hands over the muscles of Val’s back and _winced_.

“Shit.” Anna murmured, applying pressure to just _one_ of the most obvious knots in the taut muscles. “You’ve done a damn number on yourself.” 

“You know how it is.” Val mumbled while she stroked up and down her skin, getting a sense of where all that tension seemed to be lingering. “Saving the day. Sealing rifts. Days on horseback. Orlesian nobles.” 

Anna interrupted Val’s list of terrible things by digging the heel of her palm into one of the knots, moving in a smooth, small circle. Val groaned in appreciation, the sound deepening as Anna applied more pressure. 

There was something methodically soothing about giving a massage, especially one as sorely-needed as this one. Anna had to concentrate fully on Val’s abused muscles, applying just the correct amount of pressure to melt the knots in each one. Some of them were so reluctant to let go she had to straddle Val’s waist to get the right amount of pressure and summon more heat to her palms. 

_That_ meant she couldn’t let her thoughts wonder for a second. It would hardly be a relaxing massage if Val needed to visit the infirmary after, but it was worth it to watch Val melt like Anna hadn’t seen her do in _ages_. She collapsed into the mattress in inches, limbs limber and soft instead of rigid and ready for the next fight. 

There was something to be said about escaping, packing up, and running to Rivain after all this was done. They’d earned a soft, happy ending of their own. 

Anna almost thought Val had gone to sleep. She allowed her touch to soften, stroking the oil-smooth skin thoughtfully as she considered the woman beneath her. The quiet murmur surprised Anna, made her lean in closer. 

“We’ll be going to the Approach soon.” 

Ah. The Western Approach. Crazed wardens. Blood magic. Corypheus. _Joy_.

Anna reclined on the bed beside Val, throwing her arm over her waist and nuzzling into her shoulder. The buzz of contentment, the floral and herb scent, was making her just as relaxed as Val now seemed. 

“We’ll be alright. We’ll be together.” She murmured. 

The only answer she got was Val’s sweet, soft smile, before her breathing settled into the gentle rhythm of sleep. Anna watched for a moment, memorizing the brush of eyelashes over Val’s cheekbones, before she too closed her eyes. 

No matter what happened, they’d be together. Nothing else mattered. 

**Author's Note:**

> If you're interested in reading more of my work, you can find me at [@cartadwarfwithaheartofgold](https://cartadwarfwithaheartofgold.tumblr.com/)


End file.
